One of the most important holidays are nearly upon us. No it is not Christmas nor Thanksgiving. On November 11, over half a century ago, the U.S. created the national holiday of Veterans Day. Originally called Armistice Day; this holiday was renamed to honor all veterans who served in our armed forces. Why do we hold a specific day to honor all those who served? What makes soldiers so different from civilians?
There is no argument that soldiers and civilians are fundamentally different from one another. For some, these reasons are obvious, and for others not so much. I have had the privilege to meet many great men and women in my lifetime; some were soldiers and some were not. We live in a very difficult time period in which men and women are working diligently to ensure that our constitution, our government, and our people remain free and safe at any and all cost. However, what exactly does 'Any and all cost' mean?
When an individual enlists to defend our country there can be many different reasons as to why they enlisted. I have had the privilege to speak with many veterans over my lifetime. When I asked them why they served some said they enlisted to defend our country, others said they wanted to go to college for free, and one humorously said "I wanted a vacation." Many if not all soldiers I spoke to had seen conflict, one of whom is my father. The real difference in this aspect between a soldier and a civilian is that a soldier will swear to defend the United States with their life, a civilian will not. A soldier will run toward conflict and a civilian will run away from it. The true difference between soldiers and civilians is that a soldier would sacrifice all to protect us.
Aside from the obvious difference of self sacrifice, there are many other differences between soldiers and civilians. Have you ever been to a high school football game and spoke through our nations song or forget to take off your hat? Some soldiers get very annoyed when this happens because they see it as disrespectful. Most soldiers will show the respect their flag deserves during our song. That is called discipline and respect. For the most part a soldier will be extremely disciplined because that is what they are trained to be. A soldier will not procrastinate, they tend to get up and go do whatever they must. There's an old saying that a soldier can get more done before 6 a.m. than most people do all day. After living with a soldier for 19 years; trust me, I can attest to that. There are many more qualities that highlight the difference between a soldier and a civilian, one being loyalty.
After going through boot, a soldier and his unit are very tight. They have suffered together, they have bled together, and now they are ready to fight together. The brotherhood found in a unit in the armed forces is stronger than anything else, sometimes even stronger than blood. There is an immense difference between a soldier and his unit and an athlete and their team. Civilians usually do not attain that level of trust and loyalty that a soldier shares with another. Soldiers trust one another with their life, can you expect the same with your teammates? Many authors including Chris Hedges and the late Robert Heinlein have observed what war does to individuals. Hedges is a war journalist whom in one of his books speaks about soldiers in a sociological way. They have their own sub-class in our society, they speak with one another and join groups together such as the VFW. They do this because it helps them, makes them feel comfortable. All these soldiers understand each other because of their shared experiences. They seem to have a closer bond than some civilians do.
These soldiers have endured so much for our freedom and deserve our respect. Not for just one day, but rather, every day. If you see a soldier sitting a few tables away from you, walk over and thank him or her for their service. A few weeks ago I witnessed two women, probably between 18 and 25, pay for an old veterans meal. They did not do it to look good in front of others or because it was Veterans Day. They simply did it out of respect.
So for Veterans day, Memorial Day, and every other day of the year; if you see a Veteran, walk up to them and let them know you appreciate their service. It could be the nicest moment of their day. Do not let their sacrifice go unappreciated, because as President Coolidge once said, "A nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten (http://arlingtoncemetery.net/bush-1191.htm)."
